The Perception of Her

A certain group of 4 girls crossed over the yellow police tape that surrounded the crime scene.

"It would look like a ghost town if it weren't for all the police and investigators here," Hestia mentioned as she sucked on a lollipop.

"You got another one of those," Frigg asked, glancing over at her.

While they were stationed at Pearl city, they received a call, ordering them to help in a nearby village.

"We're here on an investigation," Athena set them on track, "c'mon, let's go."

Hestia ignored her command and handed Frigg a lollipop, giving her a short wide-eyed look.

"Thanks," she snatched it from her, then saw that Athena was staring back at them. "We're going, don't worry."

When they approached the front doors of the market, Athena suggested that Emily and Hestia scout out the village since it'd be overkill to have them all in the mart.

The small bell ran as they walked in, grabbing the attention of the detectives that sat outside with his notebook open to a blank page.

"Oh, you're here," he said.

He looked somewhat young, wore a light brown trench coat and semi-formal dress pants along with black tennis shoes.

"The morning got you too," Athena commented on his footwear while looking at her own messy clothes.

"Yeah, haha," he reached out for a handshake. "I'm from a detective branch in Elko, Nevada."

"What is a detective from Nevada doing here?"

"It's in here right," Frigg interrupted the both of them as she pointed towards the staff room.

"Yeah," the detective answered, seeing her walk in. "Have a look at the bites, that's the main key of evidence."

"Oh right," he continued, now looking back at Athena. "I was on a paid vacation, but then I got a call here and was put to work. They said something like, 'it was a possible promotion opportunity if I helped on this case."'

"And what do you think we're dealing with," Anthena leaned up against a wall with her arms crossed.

"Some sort of small animal, rats maybe," he sounded uncertain as he continued thinking. "But that's the weird thing; this doesn't seem like something random; the whole village just left like the man inside."

"You think something came over to this side?"

"Yes," he sighed. "But most likely, it's part of a group and has some sort of intelligence."

While the two talked, Frigg took pictures of the bite areas on the man along with the mess the room was in.

"A group definitely did this," she mumbled to herself. "They're also some ungrateful eaters the way they left so much meat."

She continued searching the room and saw what seemed to be a small patch on the wall that was partially falling apart.

The area was practically a perfect square, 10 inches by 10 inches.

When she pushed it open it revealed the very outside of the market with nothing of note. After a moment of examining, on the ground leading to the forest were faint small prints of what seemed to be a couple of rabbits.

"Could rabbits really have done this?"

Over in the Village, Hestia and Emily walked by a covered body that was still next to an open door.

"I've got this one covered," A state policeman said as he exited the home, turning off the flashlight in his hands with a thump to the side.

They nodded and moved over to a home that still had its door closed.

The smell inside repulsed them, but they continued on after covering their noses with the sleeve of their sweater.

"Never thought I'd be doing this as a slayer," Hestia complained as she noticed how dark the house was.

"I guess that's what happens when you work with the government," Emily added as she looked for a light switch on the wall.

"Prehistoric," Hestia jokes. "They don't have electricity here. We might need to look for a candle."

"That would explain the flashlight early," Emily sighed as she finished that thought.

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I had a quiet moment to enjoy the marble table we were eating on until I put the fish in my mouth.

Salty was the only word that would fit the food in my mouth.

"I wonder what a certain British fellow has to say about this meal," I muttered.

"If you're going to say something, then tell it to me straight," she sounded irritated as she continued eating.

"No- It- I was just talking to myself," I shut up and finished my food before thinking of speaking again.

I need time to recharge in order to use my magic again, I thought as I played with my wooden spoon. But would that even be worth it? She can create a limited space and trap things inside of it as well as run insanely fast, so would I even have a chance.

I looked back up at her, seeing her just about finishing up her food.

"Hey, when I try to make a break for it in like 2 days, could you give me a minute head start, I'd appreciate it."

I did my best to hold back from laughing at my sarcastic comment, covering the irresistible grin that had formed on my face when I finished saying it.

Before she said anything she threw her wooden plate at me with bits of food still on it.

I was quick enough to dodge out of the way, seeing the plate slide back on the floor.

"Pick it up," she glared down at me.

I paused for a moment, still processing.

"Are you deaf?" She got even louder, "I said to pick it up."

"Don't be mad," I tried to sound as sympathetic as possible as I smiled and closed my eyes.

"Oh, trust me, I'm not mad," I heard, followed by the sensation no man should ever get to feel, a kick to a place where you'd only start to feel the agony moments after you're hit.

"Wh-why?" I cried out as I knelt and held my stomach. "I was being sarcastic."

"I don't care, now pick it up," she commanded.

After reluctantly picking up the mess, we headed upstairs, feeling her eyes poke at me as she walked closely behind.

I passed right by the hay on the floor and leaned out the window, seeing all the trees down below that grew the same yellow fruit I've been seeing all around.

"A slingshot would be fun to have right now," I muttered as I saw the sun slightly overhead, indicating that it was only the afternoon.

"Why are we up here," I said, turning back, confused at what she was planning.

"We're going to the village tomorrow. I forgot that I needed to get something from that boy before I sent him away," she answered as she looked through a couple of bags she had, hearing the sound of metal coins hitting each other.

"I see that my question still remains unanswered," I whispered under my breath as I walked over to go help.

"Here, hold this," she shoved me a leather bag full of documents. "Can you put that over there on the shelf?"

"Sure, Vala," I hesitantly replied as I walked over. "This place looks like it's some part of a military outpost, how did you even find this?"

"I had a map due to being in the military at the time," she explained after finding what she was looking for, "but once I came here, it was deserted, so I made it my home."

"..."

"Yeah, I get you," she paused. "The villagers weren't too happy about it. They even sent a request to the capital to get rid of me. But once that didn't work out, they began visiting me and offering themselves to me in exchange to leave the village alone."

So that boy was happy I took his place, I thought as I felt like this information only worsened my situation.

"Do you want them to see you like that?" I asked, thinking that maybe I could get some humanity to show.

"It's nice knowing that people are willing to do things for you, but if it's out of fear, that just leaves me feeling lonely and awkward with them."

And you were here complaining that I wasn't doing that, Jesus. How contradictory could you be?

"Why not show them that you can be nice to them without seeming like it's for something in return," I proposed, thinking it's a good idea.

"You don't understand," she sighed. "They talk to me as if I were some bear walking around or like a snake that was coming towards them."

"Make them something," I smirked, "everyone loves food."

"Look," she looked over at me with dull eyes. "I'll show you tomorrow what I'm dealing with," she waved her hand to signal me over as she spoke in a sweet tone. "C'mon, I'm going to read a book. You can lay on my lap like the pet you are."

"I'll ignore that remark," I scoffed as I walked over," for an even better idea."

When I reached her, instead of laying down as she said, I placed my hand on her silky hair, fuzzed it up a bit, and said, "Tag, you're it."

"Don't play with my hair!!" She shouted, reaching for my hand in the process, narrowly missing it as I pulled away before she could react.

"Tag is a game where you have to touch the other person, and then they're it," I shouted behind me without looking back as I sprinted towards the window. "So I guess you're it, and this whole forest is our playground," I finished saying as I dove out of the building and began this game.